Caitlin Stacheel
Brisbane,QLD
Summary
Dedicated and passionate Speech Pathologist, with former leadership experience in a multidisciplinary team. Demonstrates strong communication, problem-solving skills and strives for person-centred care. Advocates for continuous improvement and quality care across diverse settings.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Speech Pathologist; Team Leader
Wesley Mission Qld
08.2021 - Current
Clinical Responsibilities:
- Combination of community clients in a largely neurodegenerative caseload, as well as servicing several of the onsite residential aged care facilities (sub-acute and end of life care presentations).
- A mixture of NDIS clients and complex communication needs, aphasia therapy in direct coordination with hospital discharge, through to dysphagia management with frail ageing and palliation.
- Working within an interdisciplinary team of physios, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists, dietitians, social workers and allied health assistants.
- Providing regular education and training to the residential aged care facilities to upskill staff in dysphagia i.e. IDDSI, thickener use, oral hygiene in dementia patients, mealtime assistance strategies
Leadership & Governance Responsibilities (August 2023 – May 2024) *Team Lead positions ceased due to company restructure in May 2024
- Operational management and governance support of our multidisciplinary team: social work, dietetics, remedial massage and speech pathology
- Conducting team meetings, overseeing resource purchasing, supervision meetings and problem-solving individual issues with all clinicians, liaising with clinicians to determine areas for quality improvement, planning and writing project outlines, overseeing student projects.
- Member of our Research Community of Practise – collaborating with Clinical Governance to generate best practise for research and quality improvement across all areas of Wesley Mission Queensland.
- Development and pitching of several operational improvements such as identifying and devising policies and procedures in clinical gaps across speech pathology, dietetics and remedial massage.
- Liaising with senior management to advocate for the broader clinical, workforce and resource needs of the various disciplines.
Speech Pathologist
Speak & Swallow
12.2019 - 07.2021
- Community generalist caseload across the age-span through NDIS, DVA, home-care packages and private clients.
- Working within and providing education to many multi-disciplinary teams across settings such as hospitals, aged care, supported disability accommodation and private residences.
- Independently providing a weekly clinic at a medical centre, and another medical centre clinic fortnightly for EPC patients, private clients and NDIS participants.
Disability Support Worker (Casual)
Multicap
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Support of adults with high-needs disabilities across all ADLs. Included support at medical appointments, communication and mealtime assistance.
- Management and administration of medication, including Schedule 8 medicines.
- Supporting clients with i.e. daily cares, PEG feeding
Education
Master of Public Health -
University of Sydney
2026
Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) -
University of Queensland
2019
Skills
SPA (CPSP) – Speech Pathology Australia (Aug 2019 - current)
AAA – Australian Aphasia Association
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Pending: VFSS Workshop at RBWH Nov 2024
- SPA’s Working Party Aged Care Quality Standards
Aug 2024 – present
With SPA Senior Advisor Aged Care Kym Torresi
- International Aphasia Rehabilitation Conference
July 2024 (Attendee, UQ)
- Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, 2022
‘Speak Loud’ Certification
- Research Co-Design Participation 2022 - 2024
“LifeCHAT” project co-design participant, in association with UQ and QARC
- SPA’s Working Party for Review of Clinical Guidelines, 2021
“Evidence Based Speech Pathology Practice for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder”
- Introduction to Auslan Certification, 2018
Deaf Services Qld
- Maybo Conflict Management Training, 2019
Multicap
Certification
- Strong, flexible communication style across several service settings. Across clinical and leadership roles, verbal and written communication.
- Application of evidence-based practise, innovative ideas & advocacy as part of, and in leading, a team (QI projects and clinical governance).
- Dedicated and respectful team member at a disciplinary level and within the wider organisation.
- Adaptive problem-solving skills both clinically and operationally.
- Excellent self-awareness, driven to actively seek performance feedback to continually improve.
- Demonstrated organisational skills with dynamic prioritisation of complex adult caseload, balanced with non-clinical tasks and leadership responsibilities.
Additional Information
Occurring Within 2023-2024
1. Pre-thickened fluids in RACF
Collaborated with a Speech Pathology colleague to give clinical evidence of current hand-thickening accuracy in RACF, to advocate for use of pre-thickened fluids across all sites in line with Qld Health and best practise.
2. Weight-loss Management in RACF
Led the collaboration with Dietitians to develop new policy for nurses to manage malnutrition, and when to refer to Dietetics in order to meet Mandatory Quality Indicators of weight-loss in RACF.
3. IDDSI Compliance Audit of RACF Menu
With the whole Speech Pathology team, two-month process of IDDSI texture-tests, researching recommendations to meet particularly Soft & Bite-Sized Diet compliance in the menu for RACF directors.
4. Puree Food Moulds Clinical Pitch Collaborated with a fellow Speech Pathology colleague to collect qualitative data (weight, food wastage) and qualitative data (resident surveys) to support the use of moulded food for Puree (4) and Minced & Moist (5) diets.
CLINICAL PLACEMENT HISTORY
*Full descriptions of placement experiences available on request
Townsville Hospital and Health Service (Acute & Sub-Acute, six-week block) Apr – May 2019
Mater Hospital (Neonatal Dysphagia & Paed outpatients, six-week block) Oct – Nov 2018
Redcliffe Hospital (Acute setting, half-day sessional)
VOLUNTEER WORK
Communify (Bardon) June 2023 – Sept 2024
Role:
- “The Pantry” supporting vulnerable people to access free groceries while discussing other available socio-economic supports as necessary.
Brighton Health Campus (Brighton Brain Injury Services & Aged Care) June –Sept 2019
Role:
- Assisting the Leisure Coordinator in communication-fostering activities, such as Connect-4, bingo and communal reading of the newspaper.
- Individual companionship with one-on-one conversations
INTERESTS
I love pretty typical things like my family, friends and travelling. So I have tried to diversify to be more original, and now also enjoy grass hockey, bouldering, learning Italian and attempting to cook. Through Lions Australia I was hosted by families in Italy and Germany, for six weeks across over Christmas 2017. I am still in contact with these families and hope to return one day.
REFEREES
Prue Eiser
Practise Manager for WMQ Health & Wellbeing
Line-manager, operations & leadership
m: 0438 562 411
e: available on request
Sandra Du Plessis
Senior Speech Pathologist
WMQ Colleague, Clinical Supervisor
m: available on request, on maternity leave
Timeline
Speech Pathologist; Team Leader
Wesley Mission Qld
08.2021 - Current
Speech Pathologist
Speak & Swallow
12.2019 - 07.2021
Disability Support Worker (Casual)
Multicap
01.2019 - 01.2020
Master of Public Health -
University of Sydney
Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) -
University of Queensland
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